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things done under pressure without being supervised too tightly .
What do you think is the current hot technology talking point ?
I tend not to pay attention to the hype cycle . I don ’ t think this is where the fun is . This is where technology for technology ’ s sake is . Remember Blockchain ? In the hype cycle it was the great differentiator and everyone was after it . Now ? Rather I am interested in problems that people want solved and what technology is the right technology to solve that problem . The right answer may be a steam engine , not AI .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
My great love is mountain biking . I ’ m not very good or fast , but I usually manage to keep the rubber side down and I always have a smile on my face when doing it !
If you could go back and change one career decision what would it be ?
I went too far down the technologist route and went entrepreneurial too late . At one point I was enrolled for a PhD in computational electromagnetics ! Luckily , I realised my mistake and pivoted and did my MBA and started a company .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ? differentiators now are becoming the ability to use all the data effectively to drive down cost of sale and increase effectiveness .
What has your role at Skynamo taught you ?
It has been very interesting to see what effect the right technology can have for a client . This is very much about using just enough technology to solve the customers need without over complicating it . A great example is the recent COVID-19 related features that were added to Skynamo .
With an exceptionally light , very fast implementation we were able to greatly effect the safety with which field sales reps are able to work .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Africa ?
The exchange rate fluctuations make it challenging to operate in technology in South Africa . Many of the input costs are in hard currency and the competitive pricing is also in hard currency . Clients want prices that do not fluctuate in the local currency , this can be a challenge .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
My role has substantially changed in the past 12 months . Just one year ago I was trying to raise funding . Now that we have successfully
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IT HAS BEEN VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT EFFECT THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY CAN HAVE FOR A CLIENT . THIS IS VERY MUCH ABOUT USING JUST ENOUGH TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE THE CUSTOMERS NEED WITHOUT OVER COMPLICATING IT .
done that , it is important to deliver against the goals that were committed to . My role now is around building the capacity of the executive team .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry ?
Build a personal brand around delivering excellent results . It is an incredibly competitive industry . This means that ‘ good enough ’ is not going to get you to the C-suite . •
Sales technology is such a complex and rapidly evolving industry . Investment is happening in so many places . I think that information storage has become table stakes . The
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